Timely Buckets Push KS-Hawai’i Past Waiakea

Koai’a Gym. Photo by Josh Pacheco

Kamehameha-Hawai’i’s recent statewide success in girls basketball was keyed by strong scorers and ball handlers like Riana Arima, Makamae Gabriel, and Casey and Chelsea Poe.

This year has become a learning year for Kamehameha-Hawai’i under second-year head coach Weston Willard as young role players continue to gain experience and the team tries to find an offensive rhythm. Monday night’s game against Waiakea was a clear example of that, as the private school Warriors rebounded from a 1-for-14 first quarter shooting slump to win by the final score of 45-27 at Koai’a Gym.

Kamehameha-Hawai’i (5-4 overall, 2-0 Big Island Interscholastic Federation) shot 17-for-47 (36.1 percent) from the floor, 3-for-11 (27.2 percent) from outside the arc, and 8-for-14 (57.1 percent) from the free throw line for the game.

Getting through the icy first quarter took better discipline on the part of the home team, leading to better shots in the half-court offense. Two of Kamehameha-Hawai’i’s key sophomores, Camille Poe and Jordyn Mantz, picked up the scoring slack when needed. Mantz scored seven of her team-high 10 points in the second quarter, including a three-pointer near the end of the half that pushed Kamehameha-Hawai’i to a 22-15 halftime advantage.

Up front, Camille Poe worked off the ball to find spaces in Waiakea’s zone defense. She scored eight points, all in the game’s middle quarters, to help push Kamehameha-Hawai’i’s lead to as high as 17 points.

Waiakea (4-6, 1-2) couldn’t get out of its shooting struggles, hitting just nine of its 37 shot attempts (24.3 percent). It wasn’t for a lack of good looks at the basket. In fact, Waiakea found ways to beat Kamehameha-Hawai’i’s defensive pressure and get close opportunities at the rim, but couldn’t convert many of those opportunities. Twenty-four turnovers didn’t help the cause either.

Junior Danielle Oda led Waiakea with 10 points, while freshman Madison Hwang added nine points.

Waiakea 5 10 6 6 – 27

Kamehameha-Hawai’i 3 19 13 10 – 45

Monday’s BIIF girls basketball scoreboard

Kamehameha-Hawai’i 45, Waiakea 27

Honoka’a 52, Ka’u 20

Konawaena 86, Kea’au 7

Hilo 82, Hawai’i Preparatory Academy 7

Kohala 50, Kealakehe 41